According to several prominent newspaper columnists, a cover story in Sports Illustrated, and many other high-profile media reports in print and on television, advertising directed at selling young people athletic shoes that cost more than $100 a pair has created an unprecedented epidemic of violence among our youth. Especially black youth. In fact, black youth ore the only ones mentioned, explicitly or implicitly: Niggers be killing each other over gym shoes.

In a column titled “SHADDUP, I’m SEWN’ OUT . . . SHADDUP,” Phil Mushnick of the New York Post related horror story after horror story of youths being mugged for Starter jackets and Nikes, of teenagers committing felonies to be able to support their gym-shoe habit. “It’s murder, gentlemen,” wrote Mushnick. “No rhyme, no reason, just murder. For sneakers. For jackets. Get it, Spike? Murder.”